A user can change the formatting of an electronic document utilizing a user interface of an application program. Typically, an application program presents a user interface with a variety of editing and formatting properties. In general, editing and formatting properties can be accessed or manipulated by a respective control or command. One type of user interface is a dialog box that can appear as a window layered on top of the document. When called by a user or by a particular command, the dialog box appears and introduces one or more properties with associated controls, buttons, scroll bars, or other implementations used to control or alter predefined application program behaviors. Using a mouse or other input device, a user can select or alter a property such as font size and then dismiss the dialog box.
Another type of user interface is a toolbar. The toolbar can introduce a palette of properties with associated controls, buttons, scroll bars, or other implementations used to control or alter predefined application program behaviors. Using a mouse or other input device, a user can select or alter a property such as font size from the toolbar.
In many instances, a user editing or formatting an electronic document may want to perform more than one change in a property or series of properties. For example, a user may want to add text, change a word, resize an object, or modify a selection. For each editing or formatting property, a different dialog box may appear so that the user can select from a variety of properties such as font size, font type, and font style from each dialog box. After selecting a property, the user dismisses the dialog box and continues to interact with the electronic document. In these instances, the user's interaction with a dialog box is described as “modal”. That is, when a dialog box presents a control selection, the user is required to make a selection before the user can continue to interact with the document. Modal interaction breaks the flow of the user's interaction with the electronic document, thus interrupting the user's attention to the document.
The problem with modal interaction is increased by frequent calling of properties from one or more dialog boxes. This type of interaction involves repetitive selection and activation commands by the user. When the user switches back and forth between an electronic document and one or more dialog boxes, the user's switching is time consuming and breaks the user's flow of action. Therefore, there is a need for a system and method for a modeless flow of action.
Toolbars can be a useful user interface. However, in many instances, toolbars offer properties and associated controls that are not useful or applicable to a particular context. When a user desires to execute a change in a particular property and associated control, the property and control may be located on a toolbar that is occupied by other properties and controls that may not be applicable or useful in the current context.
In other instances, the dialog box, toolbar, or other user interface covers or partially overlaps the electronic document. In these instances, the user must reposition or move the dialog box in order to view the electronic document. Alternatively, the user can reposition or move the electronic document in order to view the user interface. Frequent repositioning of the user interface or electronic document can be time consuming and frustrating for the user. Therefore, there is a need for a system and method for providing a single and consistent area for property and control selections. Furthermore, there is a need for a system and method of resizing and reorganizing a user interface to provide an area for property and control selections.
Generally, a user wants to view editing or formatting changes to an electronic document after the user changes a property in the document. Often times when a property selection is desired, a dialog box offers the user a “preview” or an “apply” control. Upon selection of the “preview” or an “apply” control, the application program executes the control selection and a change is made to the document. In these cases, there is no instant feedback to the user when a document change is made through a control selection on a toolbar or dialog box. Only after the “preview” or “apply” control is initiated can the changes to the document be viewed by the user, and even then, the user must switch to a document viewing mode. When several changes are made and previewed by the user, repeated redrawing of existing objects in the electronic document becomes computationally expensive and time consuming. Therefore, there is a need for a system and method for providing instant feedback to the user when a document property change is made.
In many instances, the properties and associated controls that are presented to a user through toolbars and dialog boxes are inconsistent. Typically, toolbars have control buttons and dialog boxes have control commands. The control buttons and control commands are not always consistently presented to a user. When a user encounters an inconsistency between a toolbar control button and a corresponding dialog box control command, the user can be easily confused. Therefore, there is a need for a system and method for presenting consistent property control buttons and control commands.
In some instances, a dialog box or particular user interface is difficult to locate on a display screen displaying the electronic document. Locating the dialog box can be time consuming and frustrating for the user when there is a not a consistent place to find the dialog box. Therefore, there is a need for a system and method for consistently placing a user interface for browsing properties in single, identifiable location.
Properties and associated controls and commands are sometimes difficult to locate within dialog boxes. When a single command function takes more than a single dialog box to locate, locating a particular function can be time consuming and frustrating. Sometimes a user must click several dialog boxes in order to set a single property of an object within an electronic document. Most users are reluctant to search for new properties and their controls or commands when they are buried deep within dialog boxes. This process can be time consuming and frustrating for the user. Therefore, there is a need for a system and method for exposing useful and new properties and their associated controls and commands.
In some instances, a user may not like a change that he or she has made to an electronic document. In these instances, the user has to find his or her way back to the dialog box in which the property such as a command was presented. This procedure can be time consuming and frustrating for the user. Therefore, there is a need for an improved system and method for providing consistent and present access to properties such as command tools within the dialog boxes.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved system and method for browsing properties of a document. Furthermore, there is a need for a system and method for providing a variety of properties for changing formatting, layouts, and other attributes of a document.